American negotiators are considering the possibility of changing the administrative boundaries of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions as one of the options for a territorial compromise with Russia. Such an approach could allow Moscow to claim full control over the Donbas without gaining actual control over Ukrainian cities still held by the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
This was reported by The Economist, citing sources familiar with the course of the negotiations.
The idea is to revise the administrative boundaries of Ukrainian regions so that Russia could formally declare the fulfillment of its territorial demands, while Ukraine retains control over cities that were not captured by Russian forces.
The publication characterizes this approach as a kind of cartographic compromise. However, the specific mechanism for changing administrative boundaries is not disclosed. It is also unknown whether this idea was formalized as an official American proposal and whether Kyiv and Moscow are ready to consider it.
According to The Economist, Russia has recently begun to show some flexibility on the territorial issue, particularly regarding a possible cessation of hostilities along the current front line.
However, such signals appeared after the American side agreed to expand the negotiation agenda to include issues of the future security architecture of Europe.
As The Washington Post writes, Donald Trump's administration believes that territorial contradictions between Ukraine and Russia need to be resolved simultaneously with discussions on the post-war European security system.
This approach raises concerns in European capitals, as it allows Moscow to return to broader demands regarding the security order of the continent even before the end of the war. Previously, Ukraine's European partners insisted that such negotiations should take place after a ceasefire is established.
According to The Economist, the US has also discussed the possibility of returning Russia to European energy markets as an additional incentive for reaching agreements. Ukraine and European partners oppose such a step as long as Russian aggression continues.
Meanwhile, the main obstacle to a peace agreement remains security guarantees for Ukraine. The American side allows the creation of a defense mechanism similar to Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty. However, Kyiv doubts the reliability of such commitments, while Moscow continues to demand Ukraine's neutral status and limitations on the size of its army.
Ukrainian officials interviewed by The Economist are also skeptical about Vladimir Putin's readiness to conclude a full-fledged peace agreement before the end of the winter campaign of Russian strikes on Ukrainian infrastructure.
Currently, no agreements regarding the revision of Ukraine's administrative boundaries or territorial concessions have been officially announced.
Discussions of possible compromises are taking place ahead of a new round of trilateral negotiations between Ukraine, the US, and Russia, which began on November 10 in Abu Dhabi.
Based on materials from: The Economist, The Washington Post
